


The Arcana: In Tender Moonlight (Asra/Apprentice)

by Kirimizi



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel), the arcana
Genre: Angst, Cute nickname, F/M, Fountain fucking, Garden finagling, M/M, Moonlight things, Non-Binary Apprentice, Other, Romance, Smut, it’s my first Arcana smut, pls bear with me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:30:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25250131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kirimizi/pseuds/Kirimizi
Summary: The only thing worse than feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders is bearing that weight by yourself.
Relationships: Apprentice/Asra (The Arcana), Asra (The Arcana)/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 69





	The Arcana: In Tender Moonlight (Asra/Apprentice)

No feeling was as strong as this one. The overwhelmed apprentice tossed and turned until they couldn’t bear the thought of being in bed anymore. 

As thoughtful as it was that Nadia had invited them to stay for the duration of the investigation, granting them a gaudily decorated bedroom and whatever they requested on demand, nothing was enough to sate them. The lonely days and nights, the constant check ins and questions were becoming too much to burden. Asra had disappeared per usual to who knew where, leaving the shop empty among all the madness. 

All this thinking was too much. 

In a few quick movements, the apprentice hopped out of the canopy bed, threw on a cloak, and left the room. Creeping through the quiet halls, they walked about the building until they reached the garden. Once outside, the cool breeze hit their cheeks, leaving them bare and chilly to the night air. 

The garden gate was open to their surprise. Taking it as luck, they took a stroll under the night sky. The beautiful garden was covered to the brim with wild and exotic flowers. Scents of honeysuckle and jasmine filled the night, greenery covering every stone wall and crevice, drawing the apprentice deeper into the gardens. 

After ten minutes into their walk, they could hear the faint sounds of water. The apprentice rubbed their strained eyes as they continued on the cobblestone path. The moon was full and bright as it led them to a secluded area just at the outer edge of the garden wall. A beautiful water fountain came into view shortly after where the exhausted apprentice practically collapsed onto. The fountain had an area to sit at for those who wanted to be closer to the water.

Listening to the water rushing through the fountain triggered something within them. They were already on the brink of tears when they woke up today due to a strange dream the night prior. The apprentice felt the tears welling up at the thought of it. Seeing Asra’s face so close to theirs, even within a mere dream, reminded them of the situation they had been living with for the last few months. Being completely by themself, taking care of the shop, and keeping up with daily life was hard enough, let alone being reminded of the loneliness while they slept, too.

The magician's apprentice huffed, letting a few tears slip pass their cheeks. These last few months were tough, even before the sudden murder allegations. They wished they could share the burden with someone. Maybe just talk about everything on their mind.

After a few minutes, the tears inevitably flowed. The overwhelm turned into actual crying, causing the apprentice to be unable to stop themself. They missed Asra more than they could comprehend. There was a void inside that not even the peaceful aura of the shop could fill. Using the dark cloak’s sleeve, they wiped their puffy eyes, and curled up next to the water fountain. 

At least the light breeze and night sky kept them company, night after night. It was comforting to say the least, when Asra wasn’t around to do one of his soft spoken spells for times like these. 

The apprentice exhaled and rubbed their tired eyes, unsure how they would endure sleeping through the night again. 

"My dear, I don't think I've seen you cry like this before." A gentle voice came from the brush behind them, appearing from beyond the garden walls. A hand came upon their face and wiped away a few tears gone astray. The apprentice peered up, shocked beyond belief for whom approached them. 

"A-Asra? This can't be real." They reached out to touch his arm, feeling up to the fabric on his shoulders. It was real. And it was him. The sparkle in his eye, the beautiful silver moonlit hair that floated about unruly on his head, and the graceful way he held himself confirmed it was indeed Asra.

Asra left from behind the iron fence, almost ready to weep at the sight of his dearest apprentice. He came around the fountain, sitting next to them before he reached out for the apprentice and pulled them into a strong embrace. 

"I'm so sorry for everything. I didn’t want to leave you alone for so long. I had no idea what was coming, but I could sense something was near. Something out of our control. All I wanted was for you to be safe, and even then, I failed you." Asras voice sounded as though he were weeping. He clutched onto the apprentice tighter, unwilling to let go.

The apprentice felt overwhelmed by all of this, losing their strong demeanor to the feelings that began to spill out of them. They wrapped their arms around Asra, quietly losing themselves in the magician's embrace. They leaned into Asra's shoulder, the warmth flowing from him. The feeling of being held by Asra again was almost like a dream. One they certainly didn't want to wake up from.

"I'm not convinced this is real," The apprentice had these sort of dreams fairly often and was particularly exhausted, leading them to the conclusion that they couldn't possibly be awake. "How do I know this isn't just another dream?" 

Asra chuckled at the subtle confession that came out of the apprentice. His cheeks burned with a tinge of red knowing the apprentice thought of him so often that he would show up in their dreams. Enjoying himself, he practically pulled them into his lap, letting the noise of the fountain drown out both of their busy thoughts. There wasn't enough he could do for the person he cared for most in the world, but it wouldn't stop him from doing what he could right there and now. 

"There were so many beautiful things where I was," Asra gently stroked their hair, tightening their grip on the melancholic apprentice with the other hand. Part of him could not apologize enough for his absence. "Though nothing that could ever compare to your exquisite beauty." 

The apprentice’s heart felt ready to come out of their chest. They hadn’t heard such a compliment before from Asra of all people. His fingertips reached for their chin, bringing their face close to his.   
“I missed you so much more than I could ever show.” Asra closed the gap, landing a gentle kiss on the apprentices lips. 

The apprentice felt their heart explode, slipping their arms around the magicians waist. Their lips came together like missing pieces of a puzzle. Asra spent the last three years biding his time for a moment like this. To properly express his deep feelings to them once again. His feelings didn't diminish even a moment when his dear apprentice came back to him with no memory of him. 

The apprentice inched closer to Asra, placing their hands on his shoulders. Their hands worked up to his collarbone, while Asra pursued the apprentice's neck, grazing with kiss after kiss all the way up to their cheek. Asra pulled them in closer, wrapping his fingers into their soft hair. 

"I wish I took you with me." Asra muttered, lingering over their neck before leaving another kiss.   
"I would've loved to see things with you." The apprentice allowed Asra to lay his forehead on their shoulder. His hands wrapped around their waist, running them up their back. 

"I'm in love with you. Since that fateful day so long ago. I've never felt so whole before," Asra felt the pull of the apprentice. He looked up and was met with a kiss. In turn, his soft plush lips turned more demanding, wanting more and more from their lover. "I wanted you for so long. Your love, your touch, I couldn't take not having you while I traveled." Asra soon found himself leaning over the apprentice, the sounds of the fountain in the background drowning out everything except for both of their heavy breathing. 

"Asra…" The longing voice of the apprentice pierced through everything. In that moment, nothing else mattered. "I love you, too." They said, pulling him to their chest. The two couldn't keep away from each other any longer, Asra's hands traveled up underneath the back of their shirt and rubbed the soft skin with gentle touches. 

The magician ran their hands up Asra's shirt, slowly removing it, feeling every slender muscle and soft skin under the palm of their hands. Asra cupped the apprentices cheeks and bit down on their bottom lip, licking the area he marked with his tongue. 

"I want you, right now." Asra practically topped the apprentice on the side of the fountain where they sat.   
"Then I am yours, Asra." Breathlessly, the two kissed, and the apprentice made clear their need for Asra. While atop his apprentice he straddled their hips, knees on both sides of them, securing his lover beneath him. 

In a moment of breath, Asra's typically soft voice came out deep and alluring.   
"Your wish is my command, dear." 

Asra's kisses and touches were like heaven on their skin, the two could not bear to be apart from each other another second. He towered over them, hands squeezing their behind. They grinded hard against one another, and a groan slipped from under Asra's breath. 

The apprentices' clothes were practically ripped off at his hands. He threw them aside on the stone below, while his apprentice shivered and moaned at his very touch. Asra's touch moved from their back to their thigh, caressing the sweet and soft skin before slowly making their way between their legs. His other hand tangled into the back of their head, while he played around with the tender area. 

The apprentice couldn't hold back their moans, the sweet sound playing in Asra's head over and over like a song. They tangled their hand into his silver moonlit curls, feeling the strands between their fingers. Asra himself continued touching and stroking, the slow and soft touches becoming more harsh and quicker. 

"Tell me you want me." Asra groaned into their ear, his voice husky and breathless. "I want to hear you say it." The apprentice obliged, following his demands.   
"I want you, Asra." They whispered, barely an inch away from the delicious lips that craved them. "I need your touch." 

Asra quickened his hand between their thighs, crashing his lips against the apprentice. The magician's hand tangled his fingers into their hair, pulling on it to bring them closer. His tongue was rough against their mouth, showing his dominant side. 

Beads of sweat dripped down both of their bare chests, cascading in unison while they finished under the harsh caress of Asra.  
"Harder, I wanna feel nothing but you…" The sweet moan left their lips moments before becoming something more. The apprentice felt the surge of relief wash over them, belting out for their dear magician to take them. 

The wave left their body, yet the apprentice wanted nothing else but his kiss. The tired, unencumbered touches were still a necessity to them. 

"My dear, are you alright?" Asra tried to gain his breath back. He removed his hand from between their legs and instead pulled them to sit up and lean against his chest.   
"You didn't have to do any of that, especially not for me." The sleepy apprentice muttered, feeling the cool night breeze against their glistening skin.   
"You're too patient with me. The least I can do is show you how much I've thought of you." Asra kissed their forehead, then their cheek. 

The sounds of the fountain took over again. But in the tender moonlight, their secret would safely stay in the garden.


End file.
